How I came to Love you
by Viient
Summary: HatoriAyame. Late one night Aaya sets out into the cold weather to deliver a present to Hatori, on the way to his house Aaya ponders words spoken by a friend and the past. No matter what, He believes that a snake can servive the winter.


**Disclaimer:** Characters mentioned belong to Natsuki Takaya's series Fruits Basket.

**AN:** Please enjoy!!

**How I came to Love you**

The cold winter air swept through the vacant street, picking up the fallen snow as it sped from place to place. Winter had wrapped the city in a blanket of snow. The only light came from street lamps, for the sky was covered with grayish purple clouds preventing the light of the heavens to shine.

The sign, _Men's Romance_ glowed; casting a blue light upon the ground. The hour was late. Peering into one of the slightly frosted windows of the shop, one would notice the lively atmosphere inside. A slim man pranced about the room, his long silver hair dancing behind him. Each movement he made was elegant and graceful, soft and fluid. Each strand of hair waved elegantly in the light. When he stopped his graceful dance the hair fell back into place, kissing its owners pale skin as it brushed past.

He moved through the rows of fabric and entered a small room in the back of the shop. A small box lay opened on the coffee table dressed in vibrant colours.

The only other person in the store was a young girl with dark hair, glasses and dressed in a simple maid outfit. She was talking on the phone and easily ignored her boss as he danced around. As she hung up the phone, the silver haired man called out to her.

"Mine. Mine my dear flower. I have some errands to run tomorrow so you have no need to come into work for your shift."

The man stuck his head out the doorway and grinned widely at her.

"Oh? What kind of errands Boss?"

Mine grinned; she already knew the answer.

"Now, Now Mine don't worry! It's nothing to physical, for I couldn't _possibly_ do anything that would strain _my beautiful body_!" The flamboyant man flicked the loose strands of his hair that had fallen in his face behind his ear.

"Oh and don't worry I have my fur coat and Hatori's car so my _delicate body_ wont freeze!" The man dramatically spun on his heel then headed back into the small sitting room.

"Ayame…" was the only word that formed on her sweet lips. The only word to find wings and take flight, for the rest of her thought died in her throat when she saw his happy smile. It seemed that no matter how hard _she _tried that she could never bring that type of smile to his face.

She had worked with Ayame for a couple years now.

She had witnessed this man's weakness and strengths. His smile would make any room glow and could outshine the sun. But, it was the moon that he loved. He loved its pale light and its many faces. Ayame had always been captivated by it. Perhaps he loves the moon because it reminds him of a certain dragon.

Mine sighed; her sigh carried silent words of a nameless love and untold wisdom. She knew her love wasn't what Ayame need… however she vowed to care for him as long as she was at his side.

"Mine?!" Ayame peered around the corner.

"The little fellow seems to not want to cooperate with me! I think a women's touch is need. " He laughed loudly.

"Oh?!" she grinned widely then headed over to the extravagant man.

Upon entering the room she laughed at the site. The little creature had taken a liking to Ayame and had decided that his hair was an excellent thing to play with, only now the little fellow was tied up in it. The animal twisted and turned.

"Ow, Ow!" Aaya meeped

"Mine, please my hair!" he plead

The little animal was pulling quite a few long silver strands of hair out. Mine stopped laughing and came to the rescue silver haired _princess_. Untangling the little guy was quite a chore. Though after a few minutes, both Ayame's hair and the little animal were freed.

"There we are!"

She held the little animal up to her face and kissed its soft nose. She sat down on the couch and placed the animal on her lap and began to scratch behind its ear.

Mine turned to gaze at Ayame, now busy altering the present for the animal.

"You'll have a long journey ahead of you. Keep each other warm, its cold out!"

The animal licked her finger as if it understood her quiet and loving words.

* * *

They set out into the cold, leaving behind the safely and warmth of the shop. Ayame and the animal (now wrapped up in a blanket and placed in the present) ventured out into this lifeless world, covered with pearls of death. The cold air ripped and tore at Ayame's exposed flesh, stealing the warmth not only from his body but from his soul as well. The small icicles that the wind carried also bit into his exposed skin. They nipped and ate away all feeling, leaving behind nothing but a slow numbing tingle at first then as time passed a painful hot burn. 

Ayame headed over to Hatori's car. Ayame had told Hatori that he was going shopping earlier and Hatori had leant him his car because of the cold winter weather. Hatori would rather go without a car then to have the snake freeze and get sick. For this Ayame was grateful.

Ayame quickly unlocked the car doors and placed the present in the passenger seat. Aaya started up the engine. He closed the car door and began to brush off the cold snow that had now covered it.

The soft cold snow fell upon Ayame's head and shoulders, he wrapped his fur coat closer to his body. He climbed into the now warm car. The lid of the present hadn't been closed, so that the small creature could breathe. Carefully he removed the rest of the lid, only to reveal that the little creature had now fallen asleep, insuring that the hide to Hatori's would be effortless and quiet. The site of the animal sleeping peacefully brought a smile to Ayame's face.

As he brushed off the snow that had fallen upon his coat and in his long silver hair he remembered the conversation that he had with Shigure earlier that day.

_

* * *

_

_He had gone over to Shigure's during his launch break. Being a weekday the children were still at school and thus the house was rather empty. He knocked twice then invited himself in. Shigure was in the living room reading the newspaper. Ayame went strait into the kitchen and began to make tea. After the tea was brewed and had steeped, he entered the living room and sat down, placing a cup of tea in front of Shigure and himself. _

_Shigure looked up from the paper "Ah once again you have graced me with your presence dear Aaya!" Shigure smiled as he took a sip of tea. _

"_Please Gure, surely you know that I cannot live without you?!" Aaya's smile lit the room and they both started to goof off. _

_Here they sat and talked for hours (Ayame would have to explain to Mine later how his thirty minute launch break turned into 2 hours) they had talked about everything, the past, future, and all in good humor. However, like every other conversation, the topic of the Dragon…Hatori, finally came into play. _

_Shigure had known since their school days of the admiration that the snake had for the dragon. He had also watched the snake's admiration bloom into love. Though, it wasn't until high school that the snake actually admitted it. At first it was still rather shocking to hear the words aloud, and Aaya had not denied his feelings at all. However his words were still rather hard to swallow. The snake had stated that day that he would never ruin the friendship that the three of them had developed and had promised himself that he would keep his feelings hidden and never speak of them aloud. _

_And so the snake had, his true feelings had never reached the dragon, and the trio continued to be inseparable._

_Shigure's thoughts drifted off replaying the day of Ayame's confession and life after it. He paid little attention to what that snake was currently saying, though he still managed to catch a couple words. _

"_I do think that he's being worked to hard…he needs…break away from his old habit …thus I plan to go shopping later today… that will break him from the habit and keep him company!!" Aaya jabbered on with a new gleam in his eyes._

_Shigure suddenly broke from the past, and lightly sighed._

_Aaya's ear picked up on the sad sound and his eyes widened with concern._

"_Gure?" _

_Shigure had wanted the gesture to go unnoticed; however fate seemed to dictate otherwise. The snake continued to question the dog._

"_Gure are you all right? What's wrong?" Aaya leaned in to inspect the dog._

_Shigure laughed, sounding slightly like a woof. "I just went for a walk down memory lane…and stopped as I peered into the school windows of our high school past." _

_Aaya smiled remembering the fun they had during that time. But the look on Shigure's face was rather somber. _

"_So much has changed… then again, when you look deeper…nothing has." Shigure concluded._

_Aaya smiled softly at this statement. It was a gentle and bittersweet smile. _

"_You still tell me everything, and your heart has never faltered after all these years." _

_Aaya didn't comment on this statement, they rarely talked about his love for Hatori. Shigure had read into the snakes intentions when he had talked about the gift he was going to buy him._

_Ayame continued to stare down into his tea, then replied softly, "Why would it?" _

_If anyone else had seen this they would have thought that the snake was sick, this was not the case. Snakes tend to be wise creatures and are often deep thinkers. However to blend in, they act ignorant to such things, and pretend that the world holds no chains to them. Ayame was no different. Few knew that he's not only gleaming smiles, and extravagant behavior. Shigure was one of the few, Mine and Hatori are the others. They are the only ones that have seen his tears and heard his troubles. _

_Shigure sighed, "He's never seen your love, and we both know how blind he is when it comes to other people's emotions…I don't think he'll ever see them." He looked up at Aaya, "You've said so yourself."_

_Aaya met Shigure's eyes briefly then turned to look back into his tea cup. _

"_The snake will always look up into the sky and watch the dragon fly from the ground below. I have watched him from the ground for ages, and have always loved him from afar. The dragon is a creature of both the heavens and land—A true ruler, he has always been admired—I am but one more set of eyes."_

_Aaya lofted his gaze to look up at the ceiling, as if he could see the sky and continued, _

"_I have always dreamed of flying with him, that one day I would join him in the sky. That dream will never be fulfilled. So I watch him with loving eyes instead. And those rare occasions that he glides down to walk upon the land, I will come to his aid and offer up any service that I may provide."_

_Ayame looked into Shigure's eyes, "For I can't help but fall in love with his elegant wings, strong body, powerful mannerisms, and ferocious yet soft eyes."_

_They sat in silence, and then Shigure spoke softly, "Aaya—our dragon has landed in a world of forever winter. No matter what aid you provide you cannot create fire, and thus can never melt the winter. As you stand in the cold you will freeze…for snakes can't live in winter."_

_Shigure's words were like daggers, they pierced his heart and the pain it left in its wake was unbearable. But the words rang true to his heart. This caused a greater pain, it was as if some invisible hand had reached in and twisted the dagger. Plunging the blade further into the soft tissue of his heart._

_The wound was deep, and inside his heart wept. _

_Ayame knew that Shigure was right about Hatori, he was frozen in a forever winter…_

…_Winter…_

* * *

The soft yawn made by the little animal woke Ayame from his thoughts. Glancing over at the animal he checked if the little guy had finished his nap. With heavy eye lids and another large yawn he resumed his peaceful sleep, rocked back asleep by the motion of the vehicle. 

Returning his gaze back to the road, Aaya tired to clear his mind. As he neared Hatori's house the amount of snow falling lessened and the view cleared.

Aaya's thoughts returned to winter. For him winter was a time of both love and fear. Fear because of the effect it has on his body. He could become deathly ill and transform. But this meager fear never overpowered his love for the season.

He could not help but be drawn to its endless beauty as it falls upon the earth from the heavens. Watching the snowflakes dance their way to the ground, falling like feathers, shining like pearls, cold and wet like the tears of an angel. Drawn to this freezing world like a moth to the flame. He had always been in love with the cold winters, bitter winds, and to the freezing rain.

No matter how great his love was, it seemed that winter looked for love elsewhere.

Ayame thought of the time when he'd first met Kana…

_

* * *

_

_Aaya had been accepted to _Bunka Fashion College, _and was starting his final term. Hatori had just obtained his PhD. _

_The family had already developed Hatori's clinic and his assistant was to be starting shortly after he settled down._

_That was when she entered his life…Kana… his assistant, though as time pasted she became more. _

_Told by others around you, you came to believe that you were heartless and cold as snow, you believed that love was impossible for you to find. _

_Kana proved you wrong. She proved you wrong as she whispered words of love and acceptance to you._

_Watching you I noticed that she had opened up your heart and soul. That when you smiled it was true, it was a smile that I wanted you to wear forever. Everywhere the two of you went you shone with a new light. You held a new beauty._

_I knew from the beginning you had fallen in love with her. She was the only one to have melted the forever winter that had surrounded you. And for the first time in your life you experienced spring._

_It was a spring that no other could have given you._

_I was envious of the beauty that she had created around you. I wished that it was I that could have been there at your side and make you smile. However I was happy knowing that you had found someone else…and that you could be happy with her forever. So I locked away the feelings in my heart and prayed for your happiness to last till the end of time._

_I never wanted that spring to end. _

_However it seems that the House of Sohma can never find true happiness. As soon as you found joy and happiness it was ripped from your hands._

_Our curse seemed to have other plans for you. When you went to seek permission to marry Kana you enraged the Head of our House. The price paid was your left eye and Kana's mental torment as she blamed herself as the one responsible._

_Akito's vile hand and poisoned words tore away your world of spring. You watched it wither and crumble at your feet. As you felt the warm blood from your eye pour out of your now clinically blind eye onto your hand, straining the beauty that it had previously held, you knew that, this world would never return to spring again. _

_In that moment you lost all that you held dear…and in the end you wiped yourself from her memories. You where left standing alone in the ruble, one more piece of a forgotten and bitter truth. _

_Your eye is now covered by long brown hair and will never see the outside world. It's blinded by the images of the past. Your heart is an old slide projector, and your eye is the curtain that the images are projected onto. The time of sweet joy, laughter and love that she brought to you are played over and over in your heart and mind. The love of that sweet and bright smile and the words that she whispered for only you to hear are recorded on scraps of torn paper that you've crumpled and thrown away…only to find once more and read again. _

_Doing so everything comes flooding back…and you break again._

_Your blind eye is a reminder of the love you had and lost, and still hold dear. To an outsider, like myself, it reminds me that you were left crippled and broken. That she was able to move on, but you were left to freeze in a new colder winter._

…_Left frozen in winter._

* * *

Ayame returned to the present, throwing way the chains of the past. Remembering the past would only open old wounds, in both Hatori's heart and his own. 

The rest of the drive Ayame focused on nothing but the road. The distance between Hatori's house and himself was closing fast, and Aaya had not wanted to meet with the dragon with his heart in such a state.

* * *

The house was small, and only one room seemed to have a light on. It seemed that Hatori was burning the midnight oil again. As Aaya parked the car, he felt all the previously ill emotions dissipate, and in there place love and joy returned. Hatori always had this effect on him. It was another of the qualities that he admired about the dragon. 

Ayame climbed out of the car, reverting back to his brilliant and extravagant personally, he gave a new light to the snow and clouds. Bounding up to the front door, he knocked twice then unlocked it. Knowing exactly where the dragon was located, he headed strait to the office.

Aaya slid open the paper door that closed off the office from the rest of the house. Aaya was about to announce his great entrance, though upon seeing Hatori's sleeping form he closed his mouth and silently walked over to him.

Hatori had only his desk lamp as his main source of light. His paperwork piled up into tall stacks upon his desk, though the rest were sprawled all over his desk and the floor. He must have worked himself till exhaustion.

Hatori had fallen asleep head cradled in his arms on top of his work. His glasses where distorted upon his face.

Aaya let out a soft sigh. He placed the now opened gift upon one of the chairs in the room. Then he carefully removed the dragon's glasses placing them on the book shelf. He then exited the room to find a pillow and blanket. He knew that by himself there was little chance of moving the dragon from his spot at the desk and carrying him to his bed.

Aaya re-entered the room with a blanket and pillow that he'd found in one of the other rooms. He placed Hatori's head on the pillow and wrapped him in the blanket. Aaya once again glazed at the dragon. He was beautiful; the dim light that the desk lamp proved had created a soft yellow glove to Hatori's soft features.

The box let out a small soft meow.

Aaya turned to the box and noticed that his furry friend was wake.

"Shh…we must leave him now; you'll see him in the morning."

Aaya whispered to the little creature, as he picked the box up.

Holding the box he bent over and turned off the desk lamp then silently he left the room, closing the paper door behind him.

"What do you think, should we stay the night?"

Aaya asked the animal. The animal simply looked up at Aaya sleep in its eyes and softly meowed.

"I think so too!" Aaya smiled then headed for the bedroom.

* * *

The morning sun shone through the small office window, warming Hatori's face. As the sun rose in the sky, the world came to life. A cold winter breeze swept through the house, stirring Hatori's hair. It was as if a loved one had come to brush aside the strands of hair that had fallen in his face. The winter wind caressed Hatori's face, placing kisses upon her child's cheek. 

Stirring again Hatori began to wake. The comfort of the large blanket was welcoming; it was wrapped tight around his sleek frame.

A small wet yet sand-like kiss was placed on his cheek, then a soft padded foot came in contact with his nose, the soft hairs tickled his nose and face.

Hatori woke to find two big cat-like eyes staring him in the face. Startled Hatori quickly sat up strait, the blanket fell and pooled around his lower body. The small kitten, not impressed with the sudden movement glared at the man. Then deciding to continue on with his earlier work he jumped onto Hatori's lap, though not as elegant as the kitten would have liked.

"Wha— " Hatori looked down at the kitten confused.

Then the kitten's collar caught his eye. He placed his hand in front of the kitten so that it could sniff the scent, then he picked the kitten up so that he could see what it said.

The collar was gold; all that was written on it was the name 'Vinn'.

"Vinn. Well at least I know your name now." He placed the kitten on the desk then looked around as if to find any evidence on how the kitten had managed to find his way into his house.

Hatori sighed finding no clue as to where the little kitten had come from.

He glanced up at his clock, it read fifteen past seven. He then turned to watch the kitten play with a scrunched ball of paper. Deciding to go have a shower and get ready for work he picked up the kitten and headed towards his bedroom.

The door to his room was slightly ajar, and he could feel the winter breeze coming from within the room. He pushed open the door; the answers to all his pervious questions lay on his bed.

He had found Aaya asleep on his bed, with the window open. Though he was under the covers the doctor still ran over to the window and closed it.

"Aaya!" he hissed as he turned to face the sleeping beauty. Though upon seeing his cousin sleeping so peacefully, he let the words drift from his mind.

The kitten started to fuss around and Hatori took that to mean that he wanted to be put down. He placed the kitten on the bed, now free it started to play around in the sheets.

Hatori looked around his room, noticing that nothing was out of place he headed for his closet and began to select his attire for the day.

His movements and the rattle of fabric woke Aaya.

Aaya slowly opened his eyes; he noted that a figure was moving about the room. Trying to clear his vision he wiped the sleep from his eyes. As Aaya's vision cleared he noticed that the figure was Hatori. Hatori moved about the room getting his things together so that he could have a shower.

Aaya watched Hatori, his heart at peace, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. How he wished that he could wake every morning to this site. That every morning he would wake in Hatori's bed and watch him from where he lay…watch him from this place beside him… not from the ground below.

Aaya sat up in bed, a look of contentment on his face. For now he was happy, he was happy just watching him from the bed, it was a moment like no other and he would cherish it.

"Morning."

Hatori's voice woke him from his daydreams.

"Morning Tori!!!" Aaya jumped from the bed and over to the dragon. He began to follow the dragon around the room.

"Tori you fell asleep at your desk again! How many times do I have to tell you that _you _need to take better care of yourself, and step away from your work for a couple of minutes!"

Hatori turned to face the snake, "Aaya…" He then pointed to the kitten that was playing with the clothes in the laundry basket.

"What's that?" Hatori asked dryly

Aaya turned to look at the kitten then back at Hatori, "Your kitten."

"_My _kitten?" Hatori questioned.

"Yes I bought it for you yesterday. I had planned on giving you it last night when I arrived here. Though upon entering your office and noticing that you where asleep, I decide that I would wait till morning to give it to you! You see I have been thinking that you need a break from your work." Aaya blurted out, "And some company for when I'm not here! Thus I bought you a friend to take care of! Oh and its name is Vinn. I have all the stuff you need to take care of him with in your car, which I brought back! So no worries!!"

Aaya was about to continue but he was interrupted by Hatori.

"Thank you."

Aaya's face softened, "For what?"

"The blanket and pillow…and the kitten"

Hatori gazed at Aaya. He noted how Ayame's eyes looked like they where glowing. Aaya had beautiful golden eyes, they seemed to follow him everywhere, it was these eyes that seemed to love so greatly, but held a hidden sadness. Hatori wondered why he hadn't seen it before.

Aaya's gaze had always seemed to follow him, but always from afar. He never stood beside him to gaze at the world… no it was always in the dark that he stood.

No… Shigure had once told him that when it comes to what Aaya sees and loves, that it was he that was shrouded in darkness.

Hatori shook the thoughts from his head, he wouldn't find the answers to these questions even if he asked the snake directly so it was best that he drop the subject.

Aaya stared at the silent dragon amazed at the words that he had spoken,

"You're welcome Tori!!"

Aaya beamed at the dragon pulling him from the corner of his mind back to earth. Hatori then remember that the snake had slept with the window open last night, and that he might be feeling ill.

"Aaya why did you sleep with the window open last night? You know that you could get serious ill—"

Hatori was unable to finish his lecture, for Aaya placed a finger on the dragon's lips, silencing him.

"Tori I won't get sick, not anymore. You see last night I wondered how a snake could survive the winter, so I opened the window and let winter come inside. And as you see I am fine, the cold never reached me."

Aaya pulled his finger away from Hatori's soft lips; a smile now lit his face.

"I have found my answer now. You see Tori I was told that snakes couldn't survive the winter that they would die…but that is wrong. I can survive the harsh winters… all I need is shelter."

Hatori pondered the snake's words,

"Why do you need to survive the winter?"

Aaya's gaze fell to the ground for a second, and then as he collected himself he lofted his eyes back at Hatori.

"I…need to survive the winter so I can be…with the dragon I love."

Hatori's confused gaze was wiped away and his face showed an expression that Aaya couldn't decipher.

"I no longer will wait for someone to come and melt your forever winter! I know that I can't currently melt the snow but if you give me some time I will find a way!"

Hatori's words had been stolen from him; the snake had left him speechless.

Aaya stood waiting for the dragon's reaction to his confession. All these years he had keep silent and now he could never take back his words, they could never return to the way things where.

Hatori's head was spinning, all logic and reasoning had left him, every word and though had vanished…all but what Aaya had just confessed to him.

Aaya could no longer wait for Hatori's reply, in one swift and elegant move he closed the distance between them, and whispered.

"I love you. I can't melt your winter and give you spring, but if you wait I can give you the warmth of summer instead."

He then kissed the dragon; it was soft and sweet, an expression of his true love.

His fear of rejection could be felt in the kiss; he was waiting to be shoved aside, waiting for his heart to break.

Though rejection never came. Instead he felt the dragon's strong arms wrap around him. And instead of breaking the kiss, Hatori deepened it.

At that moment, the winds of winter died down and a warm summer breeze kissed the dragon's face. It was a warmth that he would never let go of. A warmth that had always secretly envied and loved. For as he flew and danced with the birds of the sky, it had always been the snake that he wished would warm his side when he landed.

Fate seemed to have favored them, and tied then together. They could never be torn apart. For the snake is the first stage of a dragon and even the Emperor held no power over them, for no matter what season would past in the year, the Year of the Snake always came after the Year of the Dragon, warming the earth once again as winter pasted.

Hatori slowly pulled away, "Fine. I'll be your shelter and keep you warm… I will a wait for your summer."

Hatori then bent down to capture Ayame's lips again, but the snake shook his head.

"No…_We _will wait for the summer, for I am never leaving your side!"

Hatori smiled, a true smile, a smile that Aaya had always dreamed of bring to the man's face. He then closed the distance between the snake and himself with a passionate kiss.

Growing bored of his owner's lack of attention Vinn decided to once again explore the house, hoping that when he came back, that someone would give him some breakfast.


End file.
